Forestock latching mechanism for firearms

ABSTRACT

A latching mechanism for engaging and disengaging a fore-end stock to and from a barrel assembly of a firearm. The mechanism features a unique sliding finger-operated integral latch and lever assembly which releases the fore-end stock from the barrel. The locking latch slides into snap-action engagement with a rail extending from the barrel assembly. The rail comprises a novel inclined plane which enhances the lock-up of the latch. This latching arrangement provides continuous fit even after extensive firing of the gun. The slidable latch provides for quick takedown. A unique adjustment plate, featuring an eccentric lock nut, is provided to insure proper fit to the barrel assembly.

ilnited States Patent Nasypany Aug. 14, 1973 FORESTOCK LATCHING MECHANISM FOR Primary Examiner-Benjamin A. Borchelt FIREARMS Assistant Examiner-C. T. Jordan [75] Inventor: Paul Nasypany, Herkimer, N.Y. Attorney-John Lewis at [73] Assignee: Remington Arms Company, Inc.,

Bridgeport, Conn. ABSTRACT 22 Filed; 7 Aug 24, 1971 A latching mechanism for engaging and disengaging a fore-end stock to and from a barrel assembly of a fire- [21] Appl. No.. 174,421 arm. The mechanism features a unique sliding finger- 1 operated integral latch and lever assembly which re- [52] us. Cl. 42/75 A, 42/75 D leases h r n stock fr m he arrel. The locking [51] Int. Cl. F4lc 23/00 latch slides into snap-action ngag m nt ith a ra [58] Field of Search 42/75 A, 75 D tending from the barrel assembly- The rail comprises a novel inclined plane which enhances the lock-up of the 56 Referen e cu d latch. This latching arrangement provides continuous UNn-ED STATES fit even after extensive firing of the gun. The slidable 9 l l l 42 75 D latch provides for quick take-down. A unique adjust- 23 223 f 42175 D ment plate, featuring an eccentric lock nut, is provided 452 126 5/1891 workigil'lililf" :1: 42/75 D insure Pmper m barrel assembly' 766,231 8/1904 Elterich 42/75 D 235,881 12/1880 King 42/75 D 8 Chums 3 Drawing Figures FORESTOCK LATCIIING MECHANISM FOR I FIREARMS This invention pertains to a fore-end latching mechanism for firearms, and more particularly to a latching mechanism of the type having a spring-biased sliding latch.

[ Spring-biased sliding latch mechanisms are well known in the art, as may be seen in the following patents:

G. Hackett, U. S. Pat. No. 210,523, issued Dec. 3,

C. A. King, U. S. Pat. No. 235,881, issued Dec. 28, 1880; and

P. O. Elterich, U. S. Pat. No. 766,231, issued Aug. 2, 1904.

Generally speaking, devices of this type use the sliding latch as a means of providing a snap-action to the fore-end. In other words, the stock snaps into locking position similar to the action of a spring-loaded detent pm. i

This snap-action is desirable as a means for quickly taking down the fore-end.

The present invention distinguishes itself from these previous mechanisms in several ways.

a. The invention features a new slidable latch and lever assembly wherein the latch and release lever are integrally formed. The Hackett and Elterich mechanisms show a stock that physically pulls away from the barrel without a release lever. The King device uses a swing-type lever which is not integrally formed with the latch;

b. the latch of this invention is forced into secure engagement with the barrel rail extension by an inclined plane on the rail. This inclined plane provides a mechanical advantage as the two parts engage each other. Thus, a very secure lock-up is obtained.

c. The latch will be forced into increasingly tighter engagement with the mil with use of the gun, because the rail will be continuously forced backward by the inertial rigors of firing. In other systems the locking fit tends to decrease rather than increase from the effects of firing; and

d. the latch and lever assembly features a unique adjustment plate having an eccentric lock nut for insuring proper fit of the stock to the barrel exten- SIOII.

It is an object of this invention to provide an integral lever operated latching mechanism between a fore-end stock and barrel assembly of the slidable snap-action ty 6.

It is another object of this invention to provide a latching mechanism between the fore-end stock and barrel assembly of a firearm that maintains a secure fit after repeated firing.

It is but another object of this invention to provide an adjustment plate for securely fitting the stock to the barrel rail extension.

These and other objects of the invention will be better understood and become more apparent with reference to the following detailed description and figures,

. in which:

FIG. 1 is a cutaway top view of the latching mechanism of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a cutaway slide view of the latching mechanism of FIG. I; and

FIG. 3 is a cutaway isometric view of the latching mechanism of FIGS. I and 2 in combination with a barrel rail extension.

Generally speaking, the invention is for a fore-end latching mechanism for a firearm. The latch engages and disengages the stock from the barrel of the gun by means of a latch that locks or unlocks with a rail extending from the barrel. The latch is formed as an integral unit with a finger operable lever to provide a unitized member slidably disposed within the stock. The latch and lever assembly is biased into lockably engaging the barrel rail.

Now referring to the FIGS. 1 through 3, a latching mechanism is shown having a base 1 which is secured to the underside of a gun stock fore-end 50 by means of a mounting fastener 49 that fits through hole 2 into the stock. If desired, a cover plate (not shown) may fit over the base to hide the fastener 49. This may be accomplished by having the stock 50 fit between base 1 and the cover plate. The fastener 49 extends downward through hole 2 into the stock, and anchors to the inside of the cover plate. The other end 3 of the base 1 which is cut away contains a similar hole to secure the other end of the base to said foreend stock. The barrel 4 of the firearm (see FIGS. 2 and 3) has a rail 5 extending from its underside. The rail 5 has a front T-bar crosssection 6 with two inclined planes 7 and 7a emerging on either side therefrom.

The latching mechanism contains a dichotomized latch 8 having two lips 9 and 9a, on either side, respectively; lip 9 engaging with plane 7, and lip 9a engaging with plane 7a. The lips of the latch are urged into forward engagement with their respective inclined planes by means of springs 10, and 10a, respectively. Both springs are tension springs that attach to the base I by means of slots 11 and 11a, respectively. Spring 10 hooks into slot 11, and spring 10a snaps into slot 11a. The other end of springs 10 and 10a hook into latch plate 14 at ends 12 and 12a, respectively. As the springs force the latch plate 14 forward, the latch 8 is likewise urged forward, because the latch plate 14 abuts upon latch 8 at point 16.

The latch contains two slots I5 and 15a on either side thereof. The latch slides upon the base I by means of flanged edges I7 and 170, respectively, that fit into the latch slots 15 and 15a.

The latch 8 is made an integral part of the lever 18 which is finger-operable to slide the latch backward, disengaging lips 9 and from planes 7 and 7a of the barrel rail 5. The lever 18 has a serrated edge I9 at its forward end to aid a finger in gripping it.

The latch plate 14 extends backward from point 16 to cover the space provided in the base 1 for the rearward movement of lever 18 when disengaging the latch.

When the latch mechanism and fore-end combina tion are fitted to the barrel, it must fit snugly over the rail 5. Heretofore, this fit was accomplished by filing down the edge 20 of the rail, since tolerances vary from gun to gun.

The present invention eliminates the need for hand fitting between stock and barrel. This is obtained by adjustment plate 21 which can be secured to take up any slack between positions a and b shown in FIG. 2. The adjustment plate 21 is connected to base 1 and is positioned thereto by means of an eccentric cam screw 22 which screws into lock nut 22a by means of screw threads 24. The cam ,22 has an eccentric peripheral surface 23 that earns the adjustment plate between position a or b.

The latch 8 provides a very snug fit with the rail 5, because the inclined planes 7 and 7a, respectively, provide a mechanical advantage to the forwardly advancing lips 9 and 9a, so that these lips ride up upon the rail in ever-increasing tightness.

When the gun is fired, the recoil forces tend to enhance this engagement, so that the latch is always snug against the rail, even after extended firing has taken place.

Of course, many mechanical modifications can be made in the present design, so that the embodiment shown in the drawings is deemed to be merely exemplary.

The scope of the invention should be interpreted with respect to the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A latching mechanism for engaging and disengaging a fore-end stock to and from a barrel assembly of a firearm, comprising:

a rail attached to said barrel assembly;

a latch and a fingenoperable lever assembly integrally formed to provide a unitized member slidably disposed within the stock for engagement with and releasable disengagement from said barrel assembly rail; and

biasing means supported by the stock and connected to said latch and lever assembly for urging said latch into lockable engagement with said rail, an adjustment plate connected to the stock and engaging with said rail for providing a proper fit of the stock to the barrel assembly.

2. A latching mechanism as recited in claim 1 wherein said adjustment plate comprises an eccentric cam means.

3. A latching mechanism for engaging and disengaging a fore-end stock to and from a barrel assembly of a firearm comprising:

a rail means attached to said barrel assembly and projecting dowwardly therefrom;

an inclined plane surface on said rail means extending forwardly and upwardly thereon;

a base means secured to said fore-end stock;

a latch means mounted on said base means to slide into engagement with and releasable disengagement from said inclined plane surface of said rail means;

biasing means supported by the stock and connected to said latch means for urging said latch means into camming engagement with said inclined plane surface of said rail means whereupon said barrel assembly and fore-end stock are forced into a closefitting relationship.

4. A latching mechanism as recited in claim 3 wherein a finger-operable lever assembly is integrally formed with said latch means.

5. A latching mechanism as recited in claim 3 wherein said rail means comprises outwardly extending abutments on each side of said rail means, each of which abutments having an inclined plane surface, said latch means comprising a U-shaped member which straddles said rail means so that each of the legs of the U-shaped latch member is in sliding engagement with a corresponding inclined plance surface of said rail means.

6. A latching mechanism as recited in claim 5 wherein a biasing means is provided on each side of said rail meansin order to bias said latch means in a longitudinal direction relative to said barrel assembly.

7. The latching mechanism of claim 3 further comprising an adjustment plate connected to the stock and engaging with said rail means for providing a proper fit of the stock to the barrel assembly.

8. The latching mechanism of claim 7 wherein an eccentric cam means is positioned to move said adjustment plate to take up any slack between the stock and the barrel assembly. 

1. A latching mechanism for engaging and disengaging a fore-end stock to and from a barrel assembly of a firearm, comprising: a rail attached to said barrel assembly; a latch and a finger-operable lever assembly integrally formed to provide a unitized member slidably disposed within the stock for engagement with and releasable disengagement from said barrel assembly rail; and biasing means supported by the stock and connected to said latch and lever assembly for urging said latch into lockable engagement with said rail, an adjustment plate connected to the stock and engaging with said rail for providing a proper fit of the stock to the barrel assembly.
 2. A latching mechanism as recited in claim 1 wherein said adjustment plate comprises an eccentric cam means.
 3. A latching mechanism for engaging and disengaging a fore-end stock to and from a barrel assembly of a firearm comprising: a rail means attached to said barrel assembly and projecting dowwardly therefrom; an inclined plane surface on said rail means extending forwardly and upwardly thereon; a base means secured to said fore-end stock; a latch means mounted on said base means to slide into engagement with and releasable disengagement from said inclined plane surface of said rail means; biasing means supported by the stock and connected to said latch means for urging said latch means into camming engagement with said inclined plane surface of said rail means whereupon said barrel assembly and fore-end stock are forced into a close-fitting relationship.
 4. A latching mechanism as recited in claim 3 wherein a finger-operable lever assembly is integrally formed with said latch means.
 5. A latching mechanism as recited in claim 3 wherein said rail means comprises outwardly extending abutments on each side of said rail means, each of which abutments having an inclined plane surface, said latch means comprising a U-shaped member which straddles said rail means so that each of the legs of the U-shaped latch member is in sliding engagement with a corresponding inclined plance surface of said rail means.
 6. A latching mechanism as recited in claim 5 wherein a biasing means is provided on each side of said rail means in order to bias said latch means in a longitudinal direction relative to said barrel assembly.
 7. The latching mechanism of claim 3 further comprising an adjustment plate connected to the stock and engaging with said rail means for providing a proper fit of the stock to the barrel assembly.
 8. The latching mechanism of claim 7 wherein an eccentric cam means is positioned to move said adjustment plate to take up any slack between the stock and the barrel assembly. 